


Puzzle Pieces

by Calzonafan2014



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-09-05
Packaged: 2018-03-31 01:51:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3959941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calzonafan2014/pseuds/Calzonafan2014
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s been nearly two years since they broke up. Arizona’s bunking with Meredith and Amelia while Callie is contentedly single. The first time went so very wrong, can Callie and Arizona finally figure out how to make their pieces fit?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Grey House**

“You need to get laid.” Meredith shot her sister-in-law a death glare while she continued to clean up the juice Zola had spilled all over the coffee table. Zola, Sofia and Bailey had been hastily shuffled upstairs by Arizona following the spill and Meredith’s reaction. 

“I yelled. Because I’d told Zola three times not to bring her juice into the living room. She knew better. That doesn’t make me a bad mother.”  
  
“I didn’t say you were a bad mother. I said, you need to get laid.”  
  
“Amelia…”  
  
“Derek’s been gone for over a year. He’s dead. You aren’t.”  
  
“I don’t. I can’t even…”  
  
“How’s this. Arizona and I will look after the kids. You,” Amelia plucked the dirty rag out of Meredith’s hand, “go out, have a drink, _or twenty_ , and don’t worry about getting up at the butt crack of dawn to wrestle your kids into a semblance of clothing and combed hair. We’ll handle it.”  
  
“Am I really that annoying?”  
  
“Yes.” Amelia grabbed Meredith’s purse and handed it to her, “Now go.”

With one final glance up the stairs to her kids, Meredith walked out the door at the same time Arizona was heading down the stairs. 

“Where’s she going?”  
  
“Booty call.” Arizona shot Amelia a look.

“It’s been thirteen months. She can’t be celibate forever.”  
  
Arizona sighed as she flopped onto the couch, “Wanna bet?”  
  
“Who, you?” Amelia laughed. “Seriously, what’s the longest you’ve gone? And remember Robbins, I knew you when.”  
  
“Nineteen months, eight days,” Arizona checked her watch, “twenty-one hours and sixteen minutes….give or take.”

Amelia choked. “Need a hand?”  
  
Arizona rolled her eyes.

“So Callie…”  
  
“I don’t want to talk about it.”  
  
“Oh come on. You cannot drop a bomb like that and expect me to ignore it. Just tell me, is this a permanent vow of celibacy? Did Callie like, ruin you for other women? Is she that good? I mean, she looks like she’d be smokin’ between the sheets…” her second death glare of the evening was sharp enough that Amelia felt the singe.

  
“Noted. No more talking about your ex’s abilities or lack thereof. Of course, I could ask her for a personal demonstration.”  
  
“What happened to your vow to keep your sex life out of the hospital?”  
  
“This doesn’t count. It would clearly be for science.”

\-- 

Meredith had had just enough to drink to take some of the edge off, and when a cute guy hit on her she went with it. It may have been years later, but it was like riding a bike, she knew how the game was played. The only difference this time was that she couldn’t exactly take him home to her house filled with kids. So she went back to his place, noted in passing the blue door marked 501, got her rocks off and managed to stave off the tears through a mumbled thank you, a quick redress and a hasty exit. It was only after the door was firmly closed and she was alone that the sob escaped.

\---

**Grey - Sloan**

“Doctor Torres, your latte, extra hot with two sugars, and a lemon scone,” Callie looked up from the nurse’s station where she was charting and tossed her hotty hot intern a gorgeous smile. Arizona, rounding the corner towards the station, froze behind her.  
  
“Thank you, Dr. DeLuca.”  
  
“The scone is actually a thank you gift from Mrs. Williams. She wanted you to know how happy she is with her new hip.”

“Ahhh, how sweet.”

“I was wondering if I could scrub in with you today on Mr. Macy’s surgery. I’ve read up on his case file and I’ve been practicing in the skills lab…”  
  
“Andrew, you’ve been on my service for the entire month of your internship.”  
  
“That’s because you’re the reason I’m here. The work you’ve done to build artificial cartilage and now your robotic limb program – you’re the best orthopedic surgeon in the country, I want to learn from you.”

  
“Really?” Callie couldn’t help the happy flush at that news before she shook it off and got back on point. “Andrew, you’re an intern. And the purpose of being an intern is to spread your wings, explore all of the different specialties - I promise you, I’ll still be here,” Callie smiled kindly and patted his arm while Arizona gritted her teeth in the background. She was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice Amelia behind her until the hip check.

“Looks like she took your advice and jumped on that super hot piece of man candy. How’s that working out for you?”  
  
“It’s fine, and you don’t know…”  
  
“You practically dared her to sleep with him. Why was that again?”  
  
“I didn’t.”  
  
“Oh, believe me, I was there, you totally did.”

Arizona rolled her eyes and was promptly confronted by the one person she really wanted to avoid.

“Doctor Robbins,” Andrew asked, all bright eyed and super hot.  
  
“Yes, Doctor?” Arizona pretended ignorance and that she hadn't read his entire personnel file.  
  
“DeLuca. Andrew DeLuca. Doctor Torres told me I needed to get more experience with the other specialties and I was wondering…”  
  
Arizona's eyes widened, “Oh, no, sorry, I don’t take ducks in fetal medicine.”  
  
“I assure you, I will do whatever you tell me.”  
  
“Will he jump off the nearest bridge,” Amelia whispered to Arizona sotto voce and Arizona covertly shoved her while keeping her focus on Andrew.

“That’s lovely, and I’m sure you’re an awesome Duc..doctor. But the answer is no.”  
  
“That’s okay Dr. DeLuca, you can be with me today. That is, if neurosurgery isn’t too much of a step down for you.”  
  
“No, not at all Doctor Shepherd. It’s an honor.”  
  
“Terrific. I like mochas, extra whip cream.”  
  
“Of course, right away.”

Andrew left and Amelia turned back to Arizona. “Didn’t your wife get in trouble for holding back the career of a resident because she was jealous…”  
  
“What? No. I’m not. That’s not. It’s fetal medicine. I can’t have baby doctors on my cases.”  
  
“Excuse me? I didn’t realize that neurosurgery was the equivalent of basket weaving to you.”  
  
“I didn’t say that.”  
  
“Yeah, you kind of did,” Callie said coming up behind her and trailed by Meredith.

“What’s going on?” Meredith asked.  
  
“Arizona thinks she’s too good for chicks and ducks.”  
  
Arizona looked around at the assemblage of Attendings that had now gathered and threw up her hands.

“Fine. How about you all join me in the skills lab at lunch, and you can show me how it’s done.”

Callie met her ex’s gaze and felt a small smile blossom at the challenge, “Oh, you are so on.”


	2. Chapter 2

Skills Lab

Rumors spread rapidly at Grey Sloan, and by the time the Attendings gathered in the skills lab for the showdown at noon the next day, jello molds at the ready, they’d drawn a sizable audience. While Owen and Richard had demurred, the former recognizing his limits as a hack and the latter more interested in watching the spectacle, the rest milled around and trash talked while Stephanie took bets.

“$20 on Dr. Pierce,” the female duckling called out. 

“I’ll take $50 on Shepherd,” Owen added.

“$30 on Kepner. She’s a bad-ass, I’m sure she’s got this,” Shouted duckling number 2.

“I’ll take $50 on Doctor Bailey,” Webber offered.

“Really, only fifty?” Catherine tisked, “And here I thought she was your one.”  

"She is. Doesn’t mean she has to be an expert at every specialty in the hospital.”

  “Good to know. Dr. Edwards, what are the current odds?”

“They’re on the board,” Stephanie responded, too busy to even look up as she took money and gave receipts.

Catherine glanced up and noted that her son was currently at 5-1. “I’ll take $100 on Jackson Avery.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Here’s $50 for Alex,” said Jo, “You all are gonna buy me some new furniture.”

“Furniture? What about a fumigator?” Stephanie asked. She’d visited Jo’s new place and she was not impressed.

“What are the odds on Doctor Torres?” Andrew asked as he entered the room and Arizona immediately glanced up from where she was organizing the competition. 

“Uh, I don’t believe anyone has placed a bet yet on Doctor Torres,” Stephanie replied. 

Arizona winced as Callie pretended not to hear. Acting on impulse, Arizona reached into her pocket and pulled out her money.

  “A hundred dollars on Dr. Torres,” She and Andrew stated simultaneously. 

If looks could kill, the one Arizona shot Andrew would have at the very least put him in traction for a good long while. She quickly handed over her money to Stephanie and then made her way to the front of the room to start the competition, but was stopped by a hand wrapped around her wrist.

“You didn’t need to do that.”

Arizona looked down at Callie's hand and her lips curved up into a soft smile before she made full eye contact with Callie. 

“You’ve got the best hands I’ve ever known,” Arizona said honestly and sincerely. Callie dropped her hand in surprise and Arizona continued on her way, leaving a flustered Callie in her wake.

Richard sidled up to Stephanie as the two of them took their places. "Give me some of that action on Doctor Torres." He slipped Stephanie a $20 and then took his place next to Bailey.

“So, Robbins, are you feeding us lunch or are we playing with our food?" Amelia asked.

Arizona held up the jello mold, "This, is a uterus. And inside is the tiny fetus heart you are tasked with saving."

"Otherwise known as a grape," Callie added.

"So, what are the rules so there are no questions after I kick all of your butts?" Alex asked.

"Easy. Rule number one, don't kill the baby." 

"How do we avoid that?" 

Arizona demonstrated as she grabbed her needle and slowly pierced the mold, "You have two minutes from the time you pierce the womb. In that time, you need to reach the baby's heart," Arizona expertly threaded her needle to the grape, "and gently puncture it WITHOUT puncturing straight through." Arizona completed the procedure. "Take more than two minutes, the baby dies. Puncture two holes, the baby dies."

"So it's simple," Meredith said and everyone laughed.

"Is everybody ready?" There were nods. "Okay then. Let's begin." 

Richard, Owen, Jo, Stephanie and the ducklings took their places next to each Attending with their stop watches at the ready. And then they waited. And waited. And waited some more. Thirty minutes went by without anyone making a move. The doctors and nurses gathered in the back of the room started getting restless. With interns, these types of competitions typically went much faster. 

Nearly a full hour later, Stephanie shouted out to the crowd, "Doctor Grey is beginning." Meredith had it all mapped out in her head. She obviously wasn't as fast as Arizona, but she made it to the fetus in just over a minute. And then the needle didn't go through. "Damn it, what is wrong with you?" She pulled back and worked on her second attempt. And then the buzzer sounded.

"Sorry, time is up and your baby is dead."

"Doctor Bailey is making her move!" Richard called out. Bailey felt confident in her approach. But maybe she was a bit too confident. She shoved a touch too hard and...

"Sorry Doctor Bailey, that is two puncture wounds." 

"Drat, I guess that means you're out fifty bucks."

"No worries Doctor Bailey, you did your best."

So, who is going to be next?" Arizona asked.

Alex and Jackson took up the challenge at the same time. And both heard the buzzer sound before they could complete the procedure.

Callie knew bones. But she'd never thought much about them in utero before. So many things could go wrong there, like with Jackson and April's son. She thought about him when she finally picked up her needle, and she imagined repairing the tiniest of tiny bones in a child's hand so she could still play piano, and methodically, after carefully analyzing the angles to her approach, Callie began. 

"She did it!" Andrew shouted to the crowd. Arizona made her way over to Callie and checked her results.

"She sure did. What is the time?"

One minute, twenty-eight seconds."

"You heard him ladies. That is now the time you need to beat." 

April was still frozen. It was silly, she knew it was silly, but the thought of accidentally killing this baby was making her sick. She didn't think she could handle hearing the words that her baby was dead one more time. 

"I'm out." April said and laid down her needle.

Maggie and Amelia glanced at each other.

"You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." 

"Me too." Amelia and Maggie took up their needles together and both began. One minute quickly ticked by and half way through the second Amelia completed her mission. 

"Done. Time?"

"One minute thirty-one seconds." 

Maggie meanwhile struggled as the buzzer sounded.

"It seems we have a clear winner. Congratulations Doctor Torres," Arizona said and held out her hand for Callie to shake. Which Callie did a bit awkwardly and shoved down the stray thought that had intruded and wished for a more...personal reward.


	3. Chapter 3

 "I checked on Wilma Jackson who complained about her neighbor's snoring and so I got her some headphones. Maury Williams tried to sign himself out AMA but I promised him a pizza if he stayed another day and that worked. I prepped Stacy Peters for your 3pm, but your 6pm was running a slight fever so I sent his blood work to the lab." Andrew told Amelia as they walked the halls.

"Pizza huh? What type?"

"The works. I ordered a dozen. I figured you and the other Attendings hadn't had a chance to eat yet."

"Glad to see you putting your winnings to good use. It sounds like Doctor Torres is training you well."

"She's the best,” Andrew replied.

"Since you prepped Ms. Peters, and bought pizzas I suppose I could let you scrub in.”

"Thank you Doctor Shepherd,” Andrew replied as Meredith rounded the corner ahead of them Zola in tow and he smiled.

"Hey, have you seen Maggie? Meredith asked Amelia. “She told me she would pick Zola up from kindergarten this morning, but texted me that she had an emergency and couldn't make it."

"Surgery?" Amelia asked.

"Not on the board,” Meredith replied.

"That's weird."

"That's what I thought."

Andrew finally interrupted. "Meredith, it's nice to see you again." 

Meredith turned to Andrew and stared at him uncomprehending for a moment. 

"Do I know you?"

"Doctor Deluca is my duck for the day,” Amelia introduced.

Andrew quacked charmingly and stuck out his hand.

"Nice to formally meet. Maybe we can get dinner next time?"

Meredith took his hand and it suddenly clicked for her - he was the one from the night before and she immediately dropped his hand.

"That won't be happening." Meredith said before turning to Amelia.

"Can you tell Maggie to.."

"Tell Maggie what?" Alex asked as he came up from behind.

"To text me that she's okay. Or not okay."

"I'll check on her," Alex offered.

"Thanks. We have a board meeting in fifteen and I need to drop Zola off at the day care."

\--

 Alex searched around for Maggie, and when he finally found her he smiled.

"What's your time?" He asked and Maggie jumped. She was still in the skills lab and had been concentrating on getting to the fetal heart faster and faster.

"What are you doing here?"

"Maggie Pierce canceled on a niece pick-up. It demanded an immediate search party."

"Was it that bad?"

"You might want to text Mer that you're okay. Feel free to add that you're a giant dork who can't stand to lose," Alex teased. "Let me guess, Valedictorian and first in your med school class." 

"Yes and No."

"Who beat you?" Alex asked.

"Michael Perry the third."

"Sounds like a putz. Did daddy buy it for him?"

"No. He was smart. We were neck and neck all through med school. I had the edge in the written assignments, but he had a bigger edge in the orals. 

"He just "sounded" more like a doctor I bet,” Alex replied knowingly. 

"Pretty much." 

"That sucks."

"It did. Which is why..."

"You never lose. Okay. One more time. I'll time you."

Maggie took a deep breath, stretched her neck, picked up her needle and began. She was more confident this time, knowing exactly how much resistance the jello belly had. She steadily made her way to the grape and a with a quick stab and she was in.

"Time?!"

"One minute, ten seconds," Alex showed her the time and Maggie jumped up in relief and hugged him. It was spontaneous. And no big deal. And Alex hugged her back and tried to ignore how good she felt in his arms.

\-- 

Arizona had five minutes until the board meeting when she heard there was pizza and rushed to the Attending's Lounge to grab a slice. She encountered the typical hoard and politely but firmly elbowed her way through to score the final two slices. 

Munching away she noticed April looking longingly across the room at Jackson and sidled over. "Still not going well?" Arizona asked April.

"He barely speaks to me anymore. Even though I stayed. He's so hurt."

"Sometimes, it just takes time." 

"It's been a month."

"So now you're a month closer."

"I just wish..." Arizona waited for April to finish. "I wish I could make sense of it all. I wish I could understand God's plan. I hate how angry I still am."

"I know."

"It isn't fair."

"I know."

"I couldn't even manage an operation on a jello mold for fear of killing my grape baby."

"Have you thought about talking to someone about it?"

"I thought I was."

Arizona just raised a brow and April sighed. "Does it help?"

 "Not at first. At first it hurts like a bitch and makes you even angrier. But if you're willing to stick it out, I think it can really help."

At the same time Arizona and April commiserated, Jackson caught up to Callie the second she walked in and frowned at the empty pizza boxes, "Great job today."

"Thanks. It was...awesome." Callie grinned.

 Jackson laughed, "I bet it was. It also got me thinking." Callie raised a brow for Jackson to continue. "Have you ever given any thought to researching brittle bone disease?"

Callie’s eyes flooded with warmth, “I did some. When I heard about..." 

"Is it something you'd be interested in pursuing? I know it would mean working closely with Arizona. But if you both were willing to do it together money wouldn't be a problem. Any equipment you needed, lab space..." 

"Have you talked to Arizona about this? She's got desperate pregnant women flying in from all over the country..."

"And you already have your robotic limb lab and the trial phase of your artificial cartilage beginning. I know you're both busy. But I'm a surgeon. My wife is a surgeon. We save people, you know? That's our job. But we couldn't...."

Callie laid a hand on his arm, “I'll talk to Arizona, okay? No promises though."

"Thank you."

Arizona was just getting ready to take a bite of her second slice of pizza when Callie caught her off guard. "Hey, how'd you manage to score that?" 

"I showed no mercy," Arizona replied as she took a bite.

Callie sighed as she eyed the pizza wistfully, "I just got out of a hip replacement."

Arizona considered her ex thoughtfully for a moment and then offered up the piece, bite missing and all and Callie snatched it immediately and bit down.

"What's the forfeit?" Callie asked, mouth full of pizza and they both froze.

That used to be their little game. Whoever took the last slice of pizza had to pay a forfeit of the other's choosing. Callie remembered the myriad forfeits they'd come up with over the years, from dish duty, to dirty diapers to much more...fun ones that made them both winners. 

"You did help me win $2,000. I think we can consider it even this once,” Arizona finally replied.

Callie tried to hide her disappointment that Arizona had so easily conceded the game and found herself suddenly pushing against the limits they had set themselves, "Hey, Jackson asked me something and I told him I'd talk it over with you. Do you have time to maybe grab a real dinner tonight?"

Arizona could count on just about one hand the number of times she and Callie had been alone together since their divorce. It had been a mutual decision they'd never actually discussed. One of the few times they were completely simpatico. Nonetheless, she didn’t hesitate, “Sure. Do you want me to come over or should we go to that sushi restaurant our little foodie loves?"

"Why don't you come over? That way we can talk more after she goes to bed."

"I've got a surgery at five. Does seven work?" A smile lit up Callie’s face and Arizona found herself blinking at its brilliance.

“Perfect,” Callie replied and as she walked away and Arizona found herself wondering exactly what she’d gotten herself into.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a bit more Calzona in this one!

**Board Meeting**

"Now that that is settled, we're on to new business. Doctor Robbins seems to have made a compelling case to be off chicks and ducks. Thoughts?" Jackson asked. 

"Oh come on, really?" Bailey replied, looking around at her fellow Attendings in disbelief. "It's not like any one of them is going to be performing surgery other than the simplest appy for the foreseeable future. The point of the intern year is to expose them to the myriad possibilities. That's what sets us apart from other programs that force interns to specialize the second they graduate med school." 

"The first surgery I scrubbed in on was a neurosurgery,” Meredith began.

“Exactly,” Bailey said triumphantly. 

“And I am horrified to realize all of the things I didn't know before doing so,” Meredith continued, “One slip and I could have easily killed a teenage girl."

"Don't get sick in May, isn't that what we all say?” Callie added. “Because statistics prove that there are 10% more fatalities when new doctors start their rotations.” 

“I am not trying to get out of teaching. I like teaching,” Arizona said. “I just think...”

"Ortho and General and Plastics,” Callie said with authority. “We rotate them through those three exclusively for their first six months. I can fix any bone-headed move they make. Just like George's first disastrous appy. Keep them off the specialty rotations until they get over the butterflies and the puking and the knocking over surgical equipment."

"Come on. You aren't really serious are you?” Richard asked. “They're surgeons. Baby surgeons yes. But you throw them into the deep end. That's how you teach.”

"That's how we kill." Meredith responded quietly. And no one dared respond.

"What say we bring this for a vote at our next meeting?" Jackson asked.

"Seconded," Callie replied.

 

 **Richard’s Office**  

Catherine entered Richard's office a thick file in her hands. "So, I've been thinking about your new Chief and I have my candidate.”

"Lay it on me,” Richard replied from behind his desk, a thick stack of charts off to the side.

"She's right under your nose."

"Who?" Richard thought for a moment. "Doctor Robbins? She's already Chief of Pediatrics and her work as a fetal surgeon is keeping her extremely busy."

"And us in the black. So no, I am not talking about Doctor Robbins.”

"Then who? Please say this isn't another bout of nepotism on display." 

"Someday maybe, but not for awhile yet," Catherine replied thoughtfully. She definitely had plans for her daughter-in-law but that was for another time and possibly another place. Right now she had other fish to fry and without further ado she dropped the thick file into the center of Richard’s desk where it made a satisfying thunk.

"I am talking about the one doctor in this hospital with a thriving research practice. In point of fact, her research projects are bringing in more money than the rest of your surgeons combined. She has two, count them two cutting edge wins during her short career, and I have it on _very_ good authority that she is on the short list for the next Harper Avery,” Catherine finished.

Richard ignored the folder as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, "Doctor Torres is an excellent surgeon. She's not Chief material."

"Says who?" Catherine asked as she rested both arms on Richard’s desk causing him to stand up.

“She was Chief Resident for half a minute. And an abject failure. It was my fault. I picked her to teach Bailey a lesson. I never should have done that."

"That was years ago. People change. Doctor Torres is an innovator. She doesn't believe in the status quo. You want this hospital to break back into the top five? She's your woman."

"The Board will never pick her over Bailey."

"Then you should be happy she's my pick."

\---

**Calzona’s House**

Oblivious to Catherine’s machinations, Callie prepared dinner with Sofia’s “help” and tried to remember the last time she and Arizona had spent time together outside of work. It must have been Sofia’s fifth birthday she realized. Of course, that day had included a dozen other five-year-olds and taken place at the local gymnastics academy. The kids had been led through an obstacle course of jumping, rolling, twisting, swinging, and climbing with some major trampoline time that Callie had been convinced was going to end up with at least one-broken bone. She’d been happily proven wrong, but the hectic day had allowed them to enjoy their daughter’s birthday without much interaction outside of managing the chaos.

This evening was decidedly different. The closer it came to seven the more nervous Callie found herself. She freshened up, which included adding a bit more makeup, but she talked herself out of a quick change of clothes. At 6:30 she poured herself her first glass of wine while Sofia finished her homework and was just pouring her second when she heard Arizona’s car in the drive. 

Sofia didn’t give Arizona a chance to knock as she raced across the room and threw the door open, giving her mama a big hug as if she hadn’t just seen her a few hours before.

“You might want to be prepared. It seems she and Zola are hatching plans for a bigger and better Hallway of Haunt for Thursday,” Callie shared.

“And scarier mommy. You’re going to jump this time,” Sofia promised.

 “You think so huh? You know, I have a certain reputation to maintain,” Arizona replied to her daughter as she handed Callie the bottle of wine she’d picked up on her way and accepted the proffered glass in return.

Both Callie and Arizona allowed Sofia’s chatter to fill the room as Callie put the finishing touches to dinner and they took their seats around the table, Callie offering up a big bowl of pasta to go along with the salad and bread already out.

“Looks good.” Arizona commented.

“It’s lemon pepper shrimp lin…lin,” Sofia struggled.  
  
“Linguine,” Callie finished for Sofia. 

“I helped make the pasta mommy, we used the machine,” Sofia added as she happily took a huge bite of pasta and shrimp.

 Arizona gave Callie a surprised look. “The machine?” 

“The pasta attachment to the mixer,” Callie explained. When Arizona continued to look at Callie like she’d grown a second head Callie snorted.

“Did you really think after all those episodes of American Bakeoff that little miss foodie was going to stand for store bought pasta?” Callie asked and Sofia immediately wrinkled her nose.

“That isn’t real food mommy,” Sofia explained and Arizona laughed.

“Duly noted,” she said as she took a bite of the fresh pasta.

“Do you like it?” Sofia demanded.  
  
“Sof, let her chew first,” Callie scolded softly.

“All chewed up,” Arizona replied. “And it’s incredible, Sofia. You and your mama really know the way to a girl’s heart,” she teased.

Arizona had her eyes on Sofia, so she missed Callie’s head jerk up in her direction and her eyes flash before she covered by taking a long sip of wine. 

The rest of the meal passed easily as Sofia regaled them with tales from school and her excitement over the start of k-league soccer.  After dinner Arizona helped Callie with clean up while Sofia took her bath. They were just getting ready to sit down when the stereo kicked on and Sofia came running out into the living room in her pj’s. 

“Come on Moms,” Sofia demanded. 

Callie and Arizona shared an awkward, nearly painful look, but neither could find it within her to object, and so they did what they often did each night before bedtime…they danced with their daughter as Pompeii blared from the speakers and the longer it went on, the more they found themselves giving into the music and the joy and the laughter. Almost like nothing had changed at all. And then the song ended, and the loss was palpable.

Callie cleared her throat as Sofia tried to coax them into another song, “Come on bug, one was enough, it’s time for bed.”

 Arizona watched the momentary standoff between the two and had to bite her lip to ward off the choke of laughter that tried to escape at their near identical expressions. Heaven help her once Sofia became a teenager. Luckily, those years were still far away and Sofia finally huffed and gave in, heading to her room like the martyr she clearly was.

“I’ll be right back,” Callie told Arizona as she followed Sofia to her bedroom in order to complete the nightly tucking in duties.

Arizona nodded and wandered back into the kitchen to put on a pot of water to boil. They’d managed to polish off the one bottle of wine at dinner and there was no way Arizona trusted herself to open up another one. Nope, tea it would be.

Twenty minutes later, Callie emerged from Sofia’s room to find Arizona curled up on the couch a cup of tea in hand. Callie didn’t even have to ask, she just headed into the kitchen and poured a cup of the steeped tea into her awaiting glass and then joined Arizona on the couch.

“This was nice,” Arizona said sincerely.

Callie nodded, “Sofia loved it. It was hard to get her to settle down.” 

“Maybe we could do it again,” Arizona suggested. And then cursed herself when she felt Callie tense.

“Or not.”

“No, no. We can. I was actually going to ask if you wanted to come with us to the Seattle Reign game the week after next.  I got an extra ticket for Zola, but Meredith already had plans for that day.”

“Women’s soccer, huh?”

“You know it.”  
  
“I’d love to. Thanks.”

Callie nodded and what had been an overall enjoyable evening turned awkward now that Sofia wasn’t there to fill the silence. It wasn’t like they didn’t talk. But then, it kind of was. Because they talked about work and Sofia and mostly avoided alone time or even much eye contact. They were colleagues who had once shared a life together and forever would share a child, but they weren’t exactly friends. 

“So, Jackson,” Arizona finally prompted. 

“Yeah. He uh, he had a proposal. For us.” Callie began. “He wants us to try to find a cure for Osteogenesis Imperfecta.”

Arizona sighed at this enormous request and collapsed back against the couch. “What did you tell him?”  
  
“That I needed to talk it over with you, of course, but…”

“We can’t say no,” Arizona replied simply.

“Do you want to?” Callie asked and then was surprised when Arizona didn’t immediately respond in the negative. She had felt sure that… 

“We’ve always worked well together,” Arizona finally said as she sat back up. “No matter what else was going on, we’ve always worked really, really well together.”  
  
“So?”  
  
“I’m in,” Arizona stated resolutely.

“Me too.” Callie replied. 

And then Arizona smiled, her brain already clicking about the supplies they would need for their lab. “He does realize that this isn’t going to be cheap, right?”  
  
“If he doesn’t now, he will soon,” Callie said as she reached to the side table and handed her notepad to Arizona. “I already started drawing up a list of the basics. Feel free to add whatever you think we’ll need.”

Arizona nodded as she took the list and a pen from Callie and immediately started jotting down some of her additions. The two continued well into the night as they made plans, all awkwardness dropping away as they questioned and argued and ultimately came to a satisfactory agreement on the necessities for the birth of their first joint lab.

\---

Late that night they each crawled alone into their beds across town from the other with a shared sense of giddiness that was hard to contain. And while it made getting to sleep particularly difficult, both ultimately drifted off with smiles on their faces, dreaming of a future that suddenly looked a lot brighter than the day before.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes we run.

Seattle woke to an overcast morning spitting rain, and so Callie ordered Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Ducks 1 and 2) to prepare more Plaster of Paris bandages in anticipation of the barrage of breaks to come while lamenting her temporary loss of DeLuca. He already knew exactly how she liked her casting bandages. She was in the process of rooting around in the back of the supply closet for additional supplies, making a mental note to order more bandages, when the door clicked open and Owen and Amelia entered.

“So, I’ve got forty-five minutes before my next surgery,” Amelia shared with Owen. “That should be just enough time…”

Callie could hear the sounds of kissing and clothes rustling and was just about to make her presence known when Owen stopped Amelia’s amorous pursuit.

“I can’t,” Owen told Amelia.

Amelia snorted, “You could last week.”

“I know. And I’m sorry about that. Truly. I really like you Amelia.”

“I like you too, so…”

“I’m turning in my resignation,” Owen shared.

Amelia was completely thrown. “Excuse me? Wait, are you going back?”

“Not to Jordan, no. I’m going to Switzerland,” Owen replied. And Callie cringed in the back of the closet as she did her best to hold her breath and make herself invisible.

“Excuse me?”

“She’s my family,” Owen replied simply. “I thought I had let her go. I tried. But I think I was fooling myself. If I’ve learned anything this past year it’s that life is short. And I don’t need children, but I do need Cristina.”

Callie winced in sympathy, but Amelia just set her jaw as she contemplated Owen.

“I know I should be happy for you and wish you well and all that. You’ll forgive me if I’m not quite feeling it after having had your dick in me just three days ago.”

“Amelia…”

“I think you’ve said all you need to say.” Amelia replied and Owen sighed and nodded and left the closet.

Amelia bent down to pick up the scrub top she’d tossed off and caught sight of Callie’s sneakers.

“I bet that wasn’t the show you were expecting,” Amelia called out to whomever was sharing the closet with her.

Callie sighed and revealed herself, “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s fine. I am **_fine_** …although I’d be finer if I’d gotten the orgasm I was expecting. I don’t suppose you’d like to help a girl out?”

Amelia tossed Callie a cocky smile. She hadn’t bothered to put her scrub top back on so Callie had an impressive view and wasn’t at all shy about enjoying it.

Callie grinned as she strutted over to Amelia who blinked slightly at getting a full dose of sexy Callie and wondered briefly how she was going to either gracefully exit or explain herself to Arizona. Then the door to the closet flung open and an oblivious April walked in…and caught sight of a half-naked Amelia and Callie and immediately spun around on her heels and covered her eyes.

“I didn’t see anything,” She shouted, back to them and hand over her eyes, “I just need to get a retractor,” she added.

Amelia and Callie shared an amused look and Callie grabbed a retractor from one of the bins and handed it over to April who glanced down.

“I actually need the Deaver retractor,” April added.

Callie went back, found the Deaver retractor and handed it over to April.

“Thanks. Bye.” April made a hasty exit and ran smack into Arizona who was clearly heading directly for the supply closet and whatever Callie and Amelia were or were not doing.

“Hey, Arizona,” April loudly projected, “do you need something from the supply closet?”

As Arizona gave April a funny look and started to reach for the handle, April shifted slightly and blocked her path, leaning oh so casually against the door.

“I was just in there. Got myself the Deaver Retractor,” April held it up to demonstrate and continued to babble, “I’d be happy to go back in, get you whatever you…”

April was pushed forward as the closet door opened and Amelia stepped into the hallway.

“Hey,” She nodded politely to Arizona who nodded back and continued on her way and April breathed a sigh of relief and moved out of Arizona’s way.

 ****************************

Callie had finally collected a box full of her casting supplies and was heading out of the closet when Arizona entered and both froze, just inches apart. Callie felt guilty, as if she’d almost been caught doing something she hadn’t been doing while Arizona’s brain processed the weird series of events.

“Hey,” Callie offered. Awkwardly. And held up her box. “I was just…” she showed Arizona her box of casting bandages.

“Right. It’s raining,” Arizona smiled warmly and Callie felt the warmth fill her up. How many times had she told Arizona not to wait up for her during a big storm because she knew she’d be spending the evening setting bones? Callie smiled back at Arizona, awash in the sense of security in the familiar, of being known without needing to do more than proffer the contents of a box of bandages.

They stood there smiling at each other for a half second too long until Arizona broke eye contact to motion her need to fully enter the room to get her own supplies and the spell was broken.

“Of course, I need to,” Callie said, suddenly embarrassed by her reaction and she brushed past Arizona and grabbed the door to go. They were over. They were so, so over.

“Oh Callie, wait,” Arizona said. And Callie’s heart stopped.

“Yes?” Callie asked, as she turned slightly back towards Arizona, relieved her voice sounded mostly normal, just vaguely curious as to what Arizona might want even though her heart was pounding in sudden anticipation.

“I spoke with Jackson this morning. He said he could meet with us about our project before the board meeting. If that works for you?” Arizona asked all cheerful and normal and completely oblivious to the thoughts that had been flooding Callie’s brain.

“I can’t,” Callie blurted.

“Oh, okay. Maybe after then?” Arizona smiled brightly, dimples popping and eyes twinkling and Callie felt a surge of red-hot anger try to take over and she turned away from Arizona to gather herself. Clenching the door handle she took a deep breath and forced it out, and then had to hold back tears that threatened to follow. It wasn’t Arizona’s fault that she was completely at ease with the idea of working together and didn’t have a jealous bone in her body where Callie was concerned. They were divorced. That was partly WHY they were divorced.

“I’ve been thinking,” Callie began and slowly turned back around to face Arizona, “And I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Us. Working together.” Callie finally made eye contact again only to watch the sparkly twinkle in Arizona’s eyes shutter and her smile drop.

“Is working with me that much of a hardship for you?” Arizona asked.

Callie shrugged. “I’m not like you Arizona. I can’t compartmentalize my feelings into all of these separate boxes and go merrily about my day. I’m sorry,” she added as she turned back around and walked away, leaving a devastated Arizona in her wake.


	6. Chapter 6

**OR 1**  

Amelia checked out her patient in surgery, Dr. DeLuca by her side. She started the drill and slowly began to burrow a hole into the left side of his head. The side Deluca had shaved that morning. And then she stopped. And carefully removed the drill. 

“Pull up Ms. Peter’s scans please,” Amelia ordered the nurse. And soon his scans appeared behind her.

 “Dr. DeLuca, would you please take a look at his scans,” Amelia ordered.

“Yes Dr. Shepherd. What am I looking for?” He asked.

“What side of the brain should I be drilling?”  
  
“The right side, Dr. Shepherd.”  
  
“And what side of her head did you shave?”  
  
“The, right …” Dr. DeLuca started to say until he turned back around and clearly saw what he’d done.   
  
“The left side Dr. Shepherd. Is she?” 

“Get out,” Amelia ordered.

Dr. DeLuca nodded and headed for the door but paused and turned around. 

“Is she going to be okay?”  
  
“I said leave,” Amelia ordered. And DeLuca nodded and reluctantly left.

\---

**Attending’s Lounge**

Arizona sat alone in the Attending’s lounge, nursing a large mocha. Her earlier devastation had slowly given over to a slow burning rage that bubbled just below the surface when her private fuming was interrupted by Meredith storming into the room trailed by Alex and Maggie.  
  
“Can you believe it?” She asked the two.

“I can’t believe that the guy’s worked here three months and you didn’t recognize him,” Maggie replied.

“Dude. We remember their names and faces once they pass their intern exam and stop puking at the sight of blood,” Alex said. 

“It’s Amelia’s fault,” Meredith began. “If she hadn’t forced me to…”  
  
“What, go out of the house? Have a life? Screw a guy other than your dead husband?” 

Three pair of eyes looked at Alex in horror. 

“Dude.”

“Dude.” 

“Dude...not cool.” Maggie added.

“My point stands. You did nothing wrong. The guy doesn’t seem like he’s going to sue, _unlike others_ , so what’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal?” Meredith shouted. “The big deal is…”

The door to the room was thrown open and Amelia marched straight to Arizona and pointed her finger accusingly, “You,” she declared.

Arizona was taken aback by Amelia’s blatant hostility until Amelia widened her circle and pointed to first Meredith and then Alex.

“Ducks do not belong in neurology,” Amelia shouted at them.  
  
“What’d he do?” Maggie asked.

“He shaved the wrong side of my patient’s head is what he did.”  
  
“He isn’t?” Meredith began.

“Dead? No. She isn’t dead. No thanks to my intern. Dear God, where do they find these people?”  
  
“Probably the same place they found the intern who accidently stapled a patient’s arm to his bed,” Arizona offered and Amelia snorted at a reminder of her own past.

“Point, Robbins. Which just proves your other point, we were all idiotic ducks. We need to teach them to swim in a pond that doesn’t include boring holes into the wrong side of skulls.” 

\--- 

 **Hospital Hallway**  

“Honey, you’re going to kill it,” Ben told Bailey as they walked down the corridor towards the emergency room lobby.

“Damn straight.”  
  
“Whoever Catherine Avery tries to bring in won’t stand a chance against your experience and knowledge. The board will make the right choice. The only choice,” Ben declared emphatically and Bailey just stopped in her tracks and looked up at her husband.

“What did I do to deserve you?” she asked.

“Be the woman who is going to become Chief of this hospital,” Ben answered as he leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

“Excuse me,” A woman said and both Ben and Bailey looked over to see a woman, dressed in an ill-fitting suit, bulging brief case over her shoulder. 

“Yes.”  
  
“I was told you’re Doctor Benjamin Warren.”  
  
“That’s right.”  
  
“I’m Theresa Polly, from Family Services. Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

“This is my wife, Doctor Miranda Bailey.” Polly glanced at Bailey and then turned her attention back to Ben.  
  
“It’s personal,” Polly offered.  
  
“I don’t have any secrets from my wife,” Ben assured confidently.  
  
“It’s about your daughter,” Polly added.

Ben’s easy smile turned to confusion while Bailey looked at Polly like she’d grown a second head.

“I don’t have a daughter,” Ben said. 

Polly reached into her bulging bag, took out a folder and then handed over a picture of a cute toddler, grinning into the camera.

“Her name is Danielle Thompson. She’s almost three. Her mother, Michelle Thompson, died last week in a car accident. Your name is on her birth certificate.”

Bailey looked at her husband and then Polly.

“There’s clearly some mistake. There must be a dozen different men named Ben Warren. You clearly found the wrong one. Ben, tell her this is crazy,” Bailey said to her husband.  
  
Ben looked at his wife, and with tears threatening he shook his head, “I can’t.”

\---

 **Attending’s Lounge**  

Alex, Amelia and Maggie had all left the Attending’s when Meredith plopped down on the sofa next to Arizona and gave her a side eye.

“Are you going to drink that or throw it?” She asked.

Arizona snorted, “Is it that obvious?”  
  
“Only to someone who would really like to throw a cup of coffee.”

Arizona sighed, “Callie thinks I’m cold, heartless and dead inside.”

“People who wear their hearts on their sleeves are masochists,” Meredith replied.

“Or brave.”  
  
“I liked being dark and twisty. Drinking too much tequila, screwing a different guy every other night. And then Derek and his dreamy eyes and ridiculous hair and belief in love and fairy tales screwed that all to hell.”

 Arizona smiled forlornly. “Callie’s kind of right. I do compartmentalize.”

“You operate on children. And now tiny, helpless micro-babies lodged in the bodies of terrified mothers. If you weren’t good at compartmentalizing you’d be a crappy doctor. And you aren’t a crappy doctor.”  
  
“Nope. Just a crappy person.”

“Says who, Callie? What gives her the right to judge anymore? You’re divorced. Isn’t that one of the perks? No more trying to be something you’re not? So you’re dark and twisty. Own it.”

\---

  **Orthopedic Rehab**

Callie waited around in her limb rehab lab while she waited for her patient to arrive and desperately tried to forget the fact that yet again she’d been a giant idiot in front of her ex-wife. Arizona probably thought she was a crazy woman, still harboring all these feelings two years after they’d divorced. Why couldn’t she just let it go like Arizona had? At the very least she’d thought she’d gotten a better handle on her temper. It wasn’t Arizona’s fault she hadn’t loved Callie as much as Callie had loved her.  

“Dr. Torres? You there?”  
  
Callie looked up to discover Dan standing right in front of her and Callie jumped up to hug her favorite patient.

“Dan, it’s so good to see you again.”  
  
“You too Dr. Torres.”  
  
“What brings you here?”  
  
“You were right,” Dan replied hopping onto the exam table.   
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Yeah. I don’t like the ankle I chose. It’s not letting me get the full range of motion I thought it would. I know that’s exactly what you told me three months ago, so thank you for not saying I told you so.”

“I think you just said it for me,” Callie replied with a smile. “But what I said at the time still applies. This is your life, not mine. Just because I think something is going to work better that doesn’t mean I’m right for you. Now, I will order the ankle socket and I’ll give you a call once it arrives to schedule a fitting.”  
  
Thanks,” Dan said, but continued to sit on the table swinging his legs. “There is one other thing.”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I’ve been seeing someone.”  
  
“Dan, that’s terrific.”  
  
“It’s been great. But…uh…it’s…”  
  
“Pillows. Pillows with maybe something sturdier behind them to brace.” Callie suggested immediately.

Dan hopped down from the table and gave Callie a giant kiss on the cheek at the same time Arizona threw the door open to the room.

“You really do know everything, don’t you?” Dan asked Callie, full of admiration.

“I wish.” She said. 

Dan headed out of the clinic and brushed past Arizona, who hadn’t budged since she’d entered the room. Callie watched him go and caught sight of her ex and sighed.

“Hey, look, I know I was…” Callie began.

“We aren’t married,” Arizona began. “You don’t get to just decide that because I’m not like you, I’m some heartless, broken person. I am not broken! I am just not you!” Arizona shouted much to Callie’s surprise. 

“And another thing. You don’t get to just make all of the choices any longer. Our friends need us to put on our big girl panties and suck it up and work together, whether we like it or not!”  
  
“Our big girl panties, huh?” Callie asked with a slight smile. 

“Yes, damn it.”  
  
“What type of panties are they? I’ve always wondered. Are they like granny panties, or the lacy thong kind?”

Arizona smacked Callie for mocking her and Callie smiled back indulgently. Callie couldn’t help it. Arizona would probably bash her head in if she told her she was cute when she was angry. But God, she was kind of hot.

“You’re right. I freaked out. I was going to admit as much. I’d promise it won’t happen again, but…” Callie shrugged helplessly. It totally would. No one else on the planet caused Callie’s temper to spike the way Arizona managed with barely a word

“Is the thought of working together really that awful?” Arizona asked.

“What?” Callie asked. Because seriously, how could such a brilliant woman be so clueless?

But based on Arizona’s sad expression, Callie knew that she was, and she couldn’t help the snort that escaped.

“No dummy. Just the opposite,” she said as she headed for the door. 

“Oh,” Arizona managed to gasp out, slightly wide-eyed by the thought of what Callie might really mean.

Callie threw open the door and then paused there, as she turned back to Arizona, “Are you coming? Or do you need to change into your big girl panties before we meet with Jackson?" 

Arizona let out a bark of laughter before she headed towards the door Callie held open. She brushed past Callie’s body on the way out, and shivered, turning her head back around to catch Callie’s eye, “red lace hip huggers. If you were wondering,” she shared before turning back around and smiling to herself as she felt Callie’s eyes on her ass. Maybe this could be fun after all.


End file.
